Cushion tire



March m 19224. www

v M. C. OVERMAN CUSHION TIRE Original Filed Nov. 20. 1918 Patented Mar. lll, i924.

MAX CYRUS OVERMAN, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

Application led November 20, 1918, Serial No. 263,368.

CUSHION TIRE.

To all whom it may concer-n:

Be it known that I, MAX CrRUsOyERMAN, a citizen of the United States, res1d1ng at and certain the city, county, have invented State of New York, new and useful Improvements inl Cushion Tires, of which the following is a specifica-tion.

. My present invention relates to improvements in cushion tires,

the features and advantages of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art from an understandingof the following description in connection wlt-h the drawings.

In these, bodiments Fig. 1 is a invention. in Fig. 2 looking in arrows, said Fig. 1

cross-section a form of flanged V'showing one of the possible emmyl invention is adapted to take, cross-section of a tire within my being a section on the line 1-1 the direction of the further showing in wheel-telly to which my tire is secured; and Fig. 2 is an underneath plan view of the tire, of

Fig. 1.

The tire is,

of rubber or rubber of course, intended to be made compounds or their equlvalent; and I wir.

now describe the specific tire and devices of the drawings,

the words upper and lower and similar expressions of locationinthe description and claims being intended to refer to a section of the tire positioned as in Fig. 1.

1 is the wheel-telly surrounded by the rim 2. sides of the `telly.

3 3 are the flanges bolted to the The tire comprises a. wheel-engaging upper-portion 4 confined between the rim 2 and the flanges 3-3, which wheellatter engage laterally rounded beads 4 ou the sides of this portion of the tire.

Integral with said upper portion of the tire is the lower portion 5 whose bottom 6 is the lflat road-engaging tread of the tire. The tire is hollow by means of a plurality of spaced apa-rt openings or hollows 77 which are severally substantially V-shaped iu crosssection (Fig. 1) with the tops of the l/s at the upper portion of the tire and with the bottoms of the Vs in the lower portion of the `tire directed towards the tread.

These hollows 7 extend longitudinally, preferably continuously so,

without interruption,

Renewed March 7, 1922. Serial No. 541,868.

around and through the tire in spaced, parallel relationship with each other. rThe upper portion of the tire is provided with slots shown in cross-section at 8 8 in Fig. 1 extending upwardly therethrough from the top of the respective V-shaped hollows. Each of these slots extends circumferentially around -the inside of the tire. Clamping beads 9 are thereby provided for engagement by a plurality of clamping plates 10 at thetop of each hollow of the tire, said plates being adjustably connected with the telly by the bolt means 11 operably projecting through suitably spaced holes in the felly to draw the plates towards the felly to clamp the tires securely to the wheel.

The lower portion 5 of the tire is divided into lateral parts 12-12 by a. V-nosed cleft or space 13 extending up through it from the tread between the V-shaped hollows or V-nosed spaces 7 substantially to the upper portion 4 of the tire. This cleft extends circumferentially around the tire (Fig. 2) interrupted at intervals by cross-webs or parts 12-12 of the tire. From Fig. 1 it will be seen that the walls of thiscleft diverge outwardly towards the tread of the tire. Also, said cross-webs 14 preferably are sufliciently thick to constitute an iinporta'nt factor in supporting the load and to this end should extend from the apex or top of the recess 13 downwardly until they are flush or substantially flush, with the tread of the tire. r

Each of the lateral parts 12 under its V-shaped hollow has a deep longitudinal groove 15 in its tread portion interrupted at intervals by cross-webs 16 flush with the tread of the tire unit-ing the sides of the groove. The tread recesses or cavities 15 thus provided `rive a suitable flexibility and compressibility to the nose or tread portion of each lateral part 12-12; and also cause the tread thrusts to be delivered up under the walls 26 adjacent the hollows so that said walls under load are compressed vertically andthickened laterally but are not bent and broken down. 15 are extension recesses or cavities from the recesses or cavities 15 extending transversely in opposite directions through each half of the respective nose portions to the sides thereof, and also extend-ing upwardly under the walls 26 as best shown in Fig. 1. From Fig. 2 it will be seen that the aforesaid crosswebs "16-16 in the nose portions of the two parts 12-12 of the tire are united endwise with the previously described. crosswebs 14 of the cleft. v

Preferably the adjacent cross-webs 16-16 v in said parts 12-12 of the tire are transversely inclined in opposite directions as shown in Fig. 2 so that said cross-webs 14 of the cleft connect oppositely inclined webs 16-16.

The sides ,of the tire (see Fig. 1) steeply converge towards the tread similarly to the sides of the cleft.

It will be noted in Fig. 1 that the tread width A of an individual lateral part 12 of the tire is only about one-third of the height of the tire which isa proportion such that an individual part would be too flexible and unstable laterally to serve as a tire by itself. However, the plural lateral parts 12-12 become a practical tire of superior. qualities when combinedas shown and described.

Due to the V-nosed cleft and thel plural V-shaped or V-nosed hollows, the ilh strated tire has four relatively thin loadenporting walls 26 instead of the usual two th' k walls heretoforeA used in tires of the same crosssection. This importantly increases the resiliency and easyT-friding quality oil the tire.

Further, said cleft permits the inner wall s,

when they thicken laterally under| load, to spread not only into the hollows 7?- but also into said cleft.Again, the cleft reduces the bulk of the nose-portions whose individual resiliency is-therefore all the more easily taken care of by the tread-recesses 15 and 15 therein. Moreover, all this lightening Aof the tire and increase in its resiliency are accomplished without impairing its load-carrying ability or its lateral stability. The walls 26 are still controlled to do their work by vertical compression and lateral thickening without bendl g and breaking down. The load-supporting crosswebs 14 of the cleft aid in this. Due to said cross-webs nfj'the illustrated tire, the inner walls or members are more highly load-supporting than the outer members. Further, they give lateral stability to the noses of the lateral parts 12-12 'by being directly united with the ends of the crosswebs 16 ...of said noses. Since these nose- `portions support the walls26, it follows that their stability gives stability also to said walls. In short, the lateral stability and load-'carrying capacity of the whole tire are maintained in spite of the high degree of its resiliency.

are accordingly intended to'be covered there-l by. f

That I claim is:

1. A cushion tire whose cross section, with the tread downwards, comprises a wheel engaging upper portion and a lower portion integral with said' upper portion composed of a plurality of integral lateral parts whose bottoms constitute the road-engaging sul tread of the tire, said lateral parts being severally longitudinally hollow, the hollows being contained between substantially straight side walls converging toward the tread of the tire, said lateral parts being Separated laterally from each other by a circumferentially extending cleft which reaches upwardly from the tread to the upper part of the aforesaid hollows, each of said lateral parts alone being too unstable to serve as a tire, and cross webs extending at circumferential intervals across the cleft and uniting said lateral parts.

2. A cushion tire whose cross section. with the tread downwards, comprises a wheel engaging upper portion and a lower portion composed of a pair of integral halves whose bottoms constitute the road engaging tread of the tire, eac-h of said halves having a longtiudinally extending V-shaped hollow, the base of which is located at said upper portion of the tire, said halves being separated laterally by a circumferentially extending V-shaped cleft which extends upwardly from the bottoms of said halves to said upper portion of the tire, with its apex 'at a oint substantially in a line between the ases vof the V-shaped hollows vof said halves, each of said halves alone being too unstable to serve as a tire. and cross webs extending at circumferential intervals across said cleft and uniting said halves. f

3. A single as distinguished from a dual cushion tire whose cross-section with the tread downwards comprises a wheel-engag ing upper portion: and a lower portion integral therewith whose bottom is the roadengaging tread of the tire,-said tire being hollow by means of a plurality of spaced apart longitudinally extending hollows Maasai which are severally substantially V-shaped in cross-section with the tops of the Vs at said upper portion of the tire and with the bottoms ofA the Vs in said lower portion of the tire directed towards the tread, said lower portion of the tire being divided into lateral parts by a cleft extending up through it from the tread between said V-shaped hollows substantially to said upper portion of the tiresaid cleft also extending circumerentially around the tire interrupted at intervals by cross-webs uniting said lateral parts, each of said lateral parts under its il-shaped -hollow having a longitudinal groove in its tread portion interrupted at intenvals by cross-webs uniting the sides of the groove, these webs and the aforesaid webs across the cleft being united endwise with one another.

4. A cushion' tire whose cross-section with the tread downwards comprises a wheel-engaging upper portion; and a lowerportion whose bottom 1s the road-engaging tread of the tire,-said tire being hollow by means of a plurality of spaced apart longitudinally extending hollows, which are severally substantially V-shaped in cross-section with the tops of the Vs at said upper portion of the tire and with the bottoms of S0 the Vs in said lower portion of the tire directed towards the tread, said lower portion of the tire being divided into lateral parts by a cleft extending up through it from the tread between said V-shaped hollows, said cleft extending lcircumferentially around the tire interrupted by cross-webs uniting said lateral parts, each of said lateral parts havin recesses in its tread portion separate by transversely extending webs, these webs and the aforesaid webs across the cleft being united endwise with one another.

5. A cushion tire whose cross-section with the tread downwards comprises a wheelengaging upper portion; and a lower portion whose bottom is the road-en a ing tread of the tire,-said tire being o low by means of a plurality of spaced apart longitudinally extending hol ows whose tops are at said upper portion of the tire and whose bottoms extend down into its lower portion, which lower ortion is divided into lateral parts by a c eft extending up through it from the tread between said hollows, said cleft extending circumferentially around the tire interrupted at intervals by cross-webs uniting said lateral parts, each of which has recesses in its tread portion separated by transversely extending webs, these webs and the aforesaid webs across the cleft, being united endwise with one another.

6. A tire comprising -two cushion tire halves integrally connected by spaced webs, each half of said tire having tread-openings separated by transverse webs, ythe webs, of one half of the tire being integrally connected with the webs of the other half by the aforesaid webs that connect the two halves of the tire.

7. Aftire comprising two cushion tire halves integrallyconnected by spaced webs, each half of said" tire having tread-openings separated by transversely inclined webs, the inclined webs of one half of the tire being integral y connected with the oppositely inclined webs of the other half by the afore said webs that connect the two halves of the tire.

8. A cushion tire comprising a wheelen aUin base ortion and a Han e-free g e g P g lower portion integrally formed therewith, the bottom of which is the tread of the tire, said lower ortion comprising a plurality of substantially strai ht load-supporting inner members and a p urality of inwardly inclined outer members, said inner members being laterally lseparated from each other and from the outer members by spaces into which they expand laterally by thickening when under load, the space between the inner members having a greater height than the spaces between the inner and outer members.

9. Av cushion tire comprising a wheelengaging base portion and a iiange-free lower portion integrally' formed therewith, the bottom of which is the tread of the tire, said lower portion comprising a plurality of substantially straight load-supporting inner members and a plurality of inwardly inclined outer members, said inner members being laterally separated from each other and from the outer members by spaces into which they expand laterally by thickening when under load, the space between the ins ner membershaving a greater height than the spaces between the inner and outer members, the inner members being laterally braced by a series of cross webs connecting them.

10. A cushion tire comprising a wheelengaging base portion and a flange-free lower portion formed integrally therewith. said lower portion comprising inner and outer substantially straight space-separated load-supporting members all united at the tread towards which the outer members steeply converge, the 'inner being more highly load-supporting than the outer members,v Said lower portion having a wide ground contact to deliver the thrusts from the tread well under all of said inner and outer members, all of which thicken laterally under load and ex and into Said spaces without bending col apse.

V11. A cushion tire comprising a wheelengaging base portion and a flange-tree lower portion formed integrally therewith,

between the inner members having a greater height than the spaces between the inner and outer members.

12. A cushion tire comprising a wheelengaging base portion and a flange-free lower port-ion formed integrally therewith, said lower portion comprising inner and outer substantially straight space-separated load-supporting members all united at the tread towards which the `outer members steeply converge, said lower portion having a wide ground contact to deliver the thrusts from the tread well under all of said inner and outer members, all of which thicken laterally under load and expand into said spaces without bending collapse.

13. A cushion tire comprising a wheelengaging base portion and a flange-free lower portion formed integrally therewith,

Isaid lower portion comprising inner and outer substantially straight space-separated load-supporting members all united at the tread toward which the outer members steeply converge. said lower portion having a circumferential series of cavities extending radially inward from the tread and transverse cavities`in the tread portion eX- tending laterally toward the sides thereof from the first named cavities.

14.. A cushion tire comprising a wheelengaging base portion and a flange-free lower portion formed integrally therewith, said lower portion comprising inner and outer substantially straight. space-separated load-supporting members all united at the tread toward which the outer members steeply converge, said lower portion having a circumferential series of cavities extending radially inward from the tread and transverse cavities in the tread portion extending laterally toward the sides thereof from the first named cavities which are deeper than the last named cavities.

15. A cushion tire comprising a wheelengaging base portion and a flange-free lower portion formed integrally therewith, said lower portion comprising inner and outer substantially straight load-supporting members all united at the tread towards which the outer members steeply converge, said lower portion having a circumferential series of cavities penetrating deeply into it from the tread and extending laterally across a substantial port-ion of the width of the tread.

16. A cushion tire comprising a wheelengaging base portion and a flange-free lower portion integrally formed therewith, the bottom of which is the tread of the tire, said lower portion comprising a plurality of substantially straight load-supportporting inner and outer members united into a unitary tread toward which the outer members steeply converge, said lower portion being penetrated by openings under said inner and outer members extending up into it from the tread and comprising a circumferential series of such Aopenings under the inner, and transversely extending openings under the outer members.

17. A cushion tire comprising a wheelengaging base portion and a {lange-free lower portion integrally formed therewith, the bottom of which is the tread of the tire, Said lower portion comprising a plurality of substantially straight load-supporting inner and outer members united into a unitary tread toward which the outer members steeply converge, said lower portion heilig penetrated by openings under said inner and outer members extending up into it. from the tread and comprising a circumferential series of such openings under ithe inner, and transversely extending openings under the outer members, said latter openings being reduced in height at the sides of th'tire.

18. A cushion tire comprising a wheelengaging base portion and a flange-free lower portion integrally formed therewith, the bottom of Awhich is the tread of the tire, said lower portion comprising a plurality of substantially straight load-supporting inner and outer members united into a unitary tread toward which the outer members steeply converge, said lower portion being penetrated by circumferentially spaced openings extending up into it from the tread .under the inner and outer members.

19. A cushion tire comprising a wheelengaging base portion and a ange-iree lower portion integrally formed therewith, the bottom of which is the tread of the tire, said lower portion comprising a. plurality of -substantially 'straight Iload-supporting in ner members and a plurality of yinwardly inclined outer members, said inner members being laterally separated from each other and from the outer members by V-nosed spaces into which they expand laterally by thickening when under load the space between t-he inner members having a greater height than the spaces between the inner and outer members.

20. A cushion tire comprising a wheelengaging base portion and a flange-free llO :i ,esseci lower portion formed integrally therewith, said lower portion comprising inner and outer substantially straight load-supportin members separated from one another by Vg-V nosed spaces, all of said members bei united at the tread toward which the outer members steeply converge, said lower portion havinga wide ground contact to deliver the thrusts from the tread well under all of said inner and outer members, all of 11o which thicken laterally under load end expand into said spaces without'bending collapse,`

lin testimony whereof, ll have signed my neme to this specification this 15 day of i5 November, 1918.

MAX CYRUS OVERMAN. 

